#SweatYourBest with Amanda S.

What classes do you currently teach at acac? Cycle, Barre, Youth Fit, Boxing, Metabolic Melt, Choreostep, Yoga, and various water classes (for specific days & times, go to our Group Exercise page and search by instructor)

How long have you been teaching Group Exercise classes? “I started teaching in 2010 at UREC [University Recreation Center] at JMU. They needed someone to teach World Beat Dance and the instructor noticed me and and asked me if I’d be interested in teaching the class.”

How did you get into teaching Group Exercise? “I was on the dance team at JMU, but I stopped after my freshman year. I was looking for something else to do. I took KIN 199, which was an eight week class that taught us how to teach group exercise classes. After that, I went through a lot of mentoring and training before I was allowed to teach on my own. Jess Norby (Dang) – who’s a Personal Trainer at acac Downtown – was also at JMU and working at UREC at the time. She taught me how to teach strength based classes.”

What’s your favorite part about teaching Group Exercise? “I love talking and interacting with people. I also love helping people leave their day at the door and just have a really great class. As a kid I wanted to be Britney Spears and now I get to be in front of an audience with a mic all the time just like Britney :)”

If someone is new to acac or new to your class, what would you want them to know about Group Exercise?“Get there a few minutes early so you can introduce yourself to the instructor and get yourself setup (with the right equipment etc.). The instructors are here to help you and make sure you have the best class possible. We can help you modify poses and answer any questions you might have before class.”